Rail-fastening device.



R. L. CLARK. RAIL FASTENING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1913.-

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

flnnvmtmn g RAYMOND L. CLARK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

RAIL-FASTENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3,114.

Application filed August 27, 1913. Serial No. 786,973.

vices of the type in which the base of the.

rail is engaged by means of a clampingmember secured in place by a bolt, particularly where such clamping-member is em-.

ployed in connection with a chair or pedestal adapted to be mounted on or embedded in a tie.

One object of the invention is to protect the screw-bolt, by which the clamping-member is secured in place, against rusting due to the access of moisture. To this end I pro. vide the pedestal with an upward projection which is received in a recess in the clampingmember, the projection and the recess surrounding the bolt and acting to prevent water from flowing freely in between the. adj acent surfaces of the pedestal and the clamping-member. As a further protection for the same purpose I preferably employ a watertight gasket between the pedestal and the clamping-member, and also a cover which closes the latter above the head of the bolt.

Another object of the invention is to provide eflectually against turning of the clamping-member about the axis of the bolt, and for this purpose I utilize the projection and recess above referred to, by making them of non-circular form, so that they prevent relative rotation of the parts.

A third object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for locking the head or the nut of the screw-bolt against rotation and loosening. To this end I provide the clampingmember with a non-circular recess to receive the head or nut of the bolt, and into this recess I introduce a locking-member, which lies loosely between the wall of the recess and one or more of the flat sides of the bolt-head or nut. This locking-member is preferably retained in place by the cover hereinbefore referred to, by which moisture is excluded from the head of the bolt. 7

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section, transverse to the rail; Fig. 2 is a planview of the parts shown in Fig. 1, partially broken away on the lines 2-2 and 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a railway-tie provided with the fastening devices of the present invention showing both rails in place.

The main elements of the rail-fastener comprise a heavy pedestal 5, which is preferably a casting, and removable caps 6 which are adapted to engage the flange or base of the rail. The pedestal 5 is adapted to be embedded in a tie 7 (see Fig. 3) of concrete or similar material. A flange or ledge 8 eX- tends completely around the pedestal, and projects horizontally therefrom. The concrete completely covers this flange, the upper surface of the tie being made approximately flush with the upper surface of the pedestal. Means are also provided for maintaining the proper distance between the pedestals of both rails. The means shown in the drawings comprise a rod 9 that extends through holes 10 in each pedestal and is provided with collars 11 and nuts 12 to engage the ends of the pedestal.

. The rail 13 is so placed upon the pedestal 5 as to lie midway between its ends. Adjacent to each end is an upwardly-projecting lug 14 of. substantially rectangular form, and

the removable cap 6 has a socket 15 in its lower side which is approximately of the same size and shape as said lug. At one side of the cap 6 is a lug 16 which overlies, and conforms to, the base of the rail, being sufficiently long to extend well up toward the web of the latter. The cap 6 has a central, vertical perforation, through which a screwbolt 17 is passed and screwed into the pedestal 5, the head of the bolt lying within-a depression 18 in the top of the cap. Because of the rectangular form of the lugs 14: and their corresponding sockets 15 the caps cannot turn laterally, and accordingly must remain always in engagement with the rail. A further useful function performed by the lugs 14 resides in the exclusion of moisture from the threaded openings in the pedestal in which the bolts are seated. The projection of the lugs above the general surface of the pedestal tends to prevent water from flowing along this surface and into engagement with the bolts. As a further protection against such access of water, however, I preferably employ a gasket 19 ofleather, fiber or similar compressible material laid uponthe lug 14; before setting the cap 6 in place. This gasket is of such thickness as to be considerably compressed when the bolt 17 is drawn tight, thus preventing entrance of water beneath the cap which might reach the threaded portion of the bolt and rust it.

To prevent water from reaching the bolt 17 from above, the caps 6 are provided with sliding covers 20 which engage beads 21 on the caps. These covers are preferably made of non-rusting sheet-metal, and may be readily removed so that the heads of the bolts may be reached with a socket-wrench of special form.

A novel form of lock is also a valuable feature of the invention for the purpose of preventing the bolts 17 from becoming loosened. This lock consists of a flat L- shaped piece of metal 22 (Fig. 2) which is loosely seated between the head of the bolt on two sides, and the adjacent sides of the socket 18. With this L-shaped piece in the position shown it is impossible for the bolt to turn. On sliding off the cover 20 the piece 22 may be lifted out, whereupon the bolt 17 can be removed.

I claim 1. A rail-fastening device comprising a pedestal adapted to be embedded in concrete or similar material, and to support a rail between its ends; a removable cap for each end, each cap having a lug adapted to overlie the base of the rail, a central, vertical perforation for a clamping bolt, and a socket in its top to receive the head of the bolt; abolt for clamping each. cap to the pedestal; and a. removable cover for each cap; substantially as shown and de scribed.

2. A rail-fastening device comprising a pedestal adapted to be embedded in eon crete or similar material, and to support a rail between its ends, and having an upwardly-extending lug of non-circular form at each end; a removable cap for each end, each cap having a socket in its lower side adapted to receive one of said lugs and approximating the lug in size and shape, a lug adapted to overlie the base of the rail, a central, vertical perforation for a clamping bolt, and a depression in its top to receive the head of the bolt; a bolt for clamping each cap to the pedestal; and a removable cover for each cap; substantially as shown and described.

I 8. A rail-fastening device comprising a pedestal adapted to be embedded in concrete or similar material, and to support a rail between its ends; a removable cap for each end, each cap having a lug adapted to overlie the base of the rail, a central, vertical perforation for a clamping, bolt, and a rectangular socket in its top to receive the head of the bolt; a bolt for clamping each cap to the pedestal; an L-shapcd nut lock adapted to enter the socket in the top of the cap and lie between the head of the bolt and the adjacent walls of the socket; and a removable cover for each cap; substantially as shown and described.

a. A rail-fastening device comprising a cap provided with a lateral lug to overlie the base of a rail, a vertical perforation to receive a bolt, and a socket, in its upper surface, to receive the head of the bolt; and a removable cover for closing Said socket.

5. A rail-fastening device comprising a cap provided with a lateral lug to overlie the base of a rail, a vertical perforation to receive a, bolt, a socket, in its upper surface, to receive the head of the bolt, and a noncircular socket, in its lower surface, surrounding said perforation.

6. In a rail-fastening device, the combination of a pedestal provided with a screwthreaded bolt-receiving opening and an integral upward projection surrounding said opening; a cap provided with a lateral lug, to overlie the base of a rail, a recess in its lower surface, to receive said upward projection, and a bolt-receiving perforation aliningwith said opening; and a removable cover, upon said cap, for excluding moisture from the head of the bolt.

7. In a rail-fastening device, the combination of a pedestal provided with a screwthreaded boltaeceiving opening and an in teg'ral upward projection surrounding said opening; a cap provided with a lateral lug, to overlie the base of a rail, a recess in its lower surface, to receive said upward projection, and abolt-receiving perforation alining with said opening; a removable cover upon said cap, for excluding moisture from the head of the bolt; and a gasket interposed between the top of said projection and the recessed surface of the cap.

8. In a rail-fastening device, the comb-ination, with a screwbolt, of a cap provided with a rail-engaging member, a perforation to receive the shank of the bolt, and a nonc-ircular recess to receive the head of the bolt; a locking-member loosely seated between, and conforming to, the head of the bolt and an adjacent non-circular surface of said recess; and a removable cover for closing said recess.

RAYMOND L. CLARK. Witnesses:

CLARENCE W. CARROLL, Harms N. JoFrE.

topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents. each, by addressing the Commissioner of letents, Washington, D, G." 

